James Spaulding - James Spaulding Plays The Legacy Of Duke Ellington

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 41:30
Size: 95.0 MB
Styles: Bop
Year: 1976/2012
Art: Front

[4:31] 1. Take The 'a' Train
[5:53] 2. In A Sentimental Mood
[5:28] 3. Come Sunday
[5:27] 4. Caravan
[2:11] 5. I Love You Madly
[4:34] 6. Lucky So And So
[6:20] 7. Sophisticated Lady
[7:02] 8. It Don't Mean A Thing If It Ain't Got That Swing

Avery Brooks - Vocals; Billy Higgins - Drums; Sam Jones - Bass; James Mtume - Congas, Percussion; Steve Nelson - Vibraharp, Vibraphone; James Spaulding - Flute, Flute (Bass), Flute (Tenor), Piccolo, Primary Artist, Sax (Alto), Sax (Soprano); Cedar Walton - Piano.

Despite being a top altoist and flutist since at least the mid-'60s, when he played with Freddie Hubbard's band, James Spaulding did not get his recording debut as a leader until this 1976 LP. Spaulding, on various flutes, piccolo, soprano and alto, performs eight songs associated with Duke Ellington, including "Take the 'A' Train" (a Billy Strayhorn composition mistakenly co-credited in the liners to Duke), "Come Sunday," an impressive flute showcase on "Sophisticated Lady" and "It Don't Mean a Thing." Spaulding is joined by pianist Cedar Walton, a young Steve Nelson on vibes, bassist Sam Jones, drummer Billy Higgins and percussionist Mtume. The most unusual aspect of this set is that Avery Brooks (who has a deep baritone that Ellington might have liked) sings four of the eight songs. A sincere tribute. ~Scott Yanow

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Bix Beiderbecke - Volume 1: Singin' The Blues

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 59:55
Size: 137.2 MB
Styles: New Orleans jazz
Year: 1927/1990
Art: Front

[2:59] 1. Trumbology
[3:12] 2. Clarinet Marmalade
[2:59] 3. Singin' The Blues
[3:04] 4. Ostrich Walk
[3:06] 5. Riverboat Shuffle
[3:09] 6. I'm Coming Virginia
[2:49] 7. Way Down Yonder In New Orleans
[3:02] 8. For No Reason At All In C
[3:01] 9. Three Blind Mice (Rhythmic Theme In Advanced Harmony)
[3:16] 10. Blue River
[3:00] 11. There's A Cradle In Caroline!
[2:42] 12. In A Mist
[2:53] 13. Wringin' And Twistin'
[3:01] 14. Humpty Dumpty
[3:00] 15. Krazy Kat
[2:59] 16. (The) Baltimore
[3:02] 17. There Ain't No Land Like Dixieland To Me
[2:54] 18. There's A Cradle In Caroline!
[2:51] 19. Just An Hour Of Love
[2:49] 20. I'm Wonderin' Who

Bix was the only jazz musician of the '20s whose improvising prowess could possibly be compared to Louis Armstrong, and these 1927 Okeh tracks are the source of his legend, with such showpieces as Singing the Blues; Clarinet Marmalade , and For No Reason at All in C .

In jazz's childhood, Bix Beiderbecke was the only cornet player to rival Satchmo in terms of influence on other musicians and on the development of the genre. Armstrong's syncopated delivery, his blues shadings, his unique phrasing--in short, his swing--became, rightly so, the benchmark, the standard by which jazz improvisation was not only judged, but actually defined. In a way, Bix represented both a practical and symbolic alternative to Armstrong. Though he was completely self-taught and couldn't read music, Bix's tone was incredibly pure, full, and lush, and his style was cooler, more restrained (but not reserved), and more plaintive than Louis's hot, ebullient playing--even though his actual tone remained bright and his note choices forceful. All of these 20 cuts come from 1927, and many of them rank among the finest performances of that classic era nudged between Dixieland and swing. A key component of these successes is Frankie Trumbauer, a remarkably fluent and lyrical C-melody sax player who was Beiderbecke's close friend and musical kindred spirit. The septet cuts from February and May are uniformly excellent, but "Singin' the Blues" (featuring Eddie Lang's prominent single-string guitar support), "Riverboat Shuffle," "I'm Comin' Virginia," and "Way Down Yonder in New Orleans" are astonishing landmarks in jazz history. Also worth noting are two trio cuts featuring Beiderbecke on piano supporting Trumbauer and Lang, and "In a Mist (Bixology)," a Bix piano solo full of bold, unorthodox melodies, harmonies, and rhythms. ~Marc Greilsamer

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Sonny Rollins - Old Flames

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 55:55
Size: 128.0 MB
Styles: Saxophone jazz
Year: 1993/2008
Art: Front

[6:53] 1. Darn That Dream
[8:08] 2. Where Or When
[7:14] 3. My Old Flame
[6:56] 4. Times Slimes
[9:38] 5. I See Your Face Before Me
[9:45] 6. Delia
[7:18] 7. Prelude To A Kiss

Sonny Rollins mostly sticks to standard ballads on this excellent CD which finds him joined by trombonist Clifton Anderson, pianist Tommy Flanagan, bassist Bob Cranshaw, drummer Jack DeJohnette and, on two selections, a five-piece brass choir arranged by Jimmy Heath. Comfortable and occasionally passionate music by one of the classic tenor-saxophonists. ~Scott Yanow

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Michael Gamble & The Rhythm Serenaders - S/T

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 77:55
Size: 178.4 MB
Styles: Big band
Year: 2016
Art: Front

[3:10] 1. Back In Your Own Back Yard
[3:00] 2. I Never Knew
[3:34] 3. Slidin' And Glidin'
[3:22] 4. Seven Come Eleven
[3:28] 5. Pick-A-Rib
[4:02] 6. A Mellow Bit Of Rhythm
[3:08] 7. Sweets
[3:08] 8. There'll Be Some Changes Made
[3:20] 9. Fine And Mellow
[3:36] 10. Bug In A Rug
[3:16] 11. He Ain't Got Rhythm
[4:06] 12. Who's Sorry Now
[3:28] 13. Woke Up Clipped
[3:33] 14. Rose Room
[3:15] 15. What A Night, What A Moon, What A Boy
[4:20] 16. Crazy About Lester
[2:37] 17. Scottie
[3:46] 18. Smoke Gets In Your Eyes
[2:36] 19. Airmail Special (Bonus Track)
[2:57] 20. Pennies From Heaven (Bonus Track)
[2:51] 21. Twenty Four Hours A Day (Bonus Track)
[3:00] 22. Disorder At The Border (Bonus Track)
[4:17] 23. I Left My Baby (Bonus Track)

Michael Gamble, Bass; Keenan McKenzie, Clarinet and Saxes; Jonathan Stout, Lead Guitar; Paul Cosentino, Clarinet and Saxes; Russ Wilson, Vocals and Drums; Brooks Prumo, Rhythm Guitar; Gordon Au, Trumpet; Craig Gildner, Piano; Noah Hocker, Trumpet; James Posedel, Piano; Josh Collazo, Drums; Lucian Cobb, Trombone; Laura Windley, Vocals; David Wilken, Trombone. It was such an honor to make a record with this terrific lineup of musicians. We recorded this album live at Isis Restaurant and Music Hall, during the days following Lindy Focus XIV. With all of the energy of the event at our backs, making a live recording was the most natural thing in the world, and we’re grateful for all the people who helped make that circumstance possible.

Michael Gamble and the Rhythm Serenaders are a hard swinging and stylistically faithful ensemble created in the mold of the late 1930’s, early 1940’s dance band. Their sound is characterized by an aggressive four-on-the-floor time-feel, thick & riffy horn arrangements, and an eclectic songbook that touches on the sweet and sentimental as well as the hot and bothered. Typically the band plays either as a Sextet or Octet, and each version of the group explores different avenues of the classic repertoire.

The Sextet specializes in careful transcriptions and subtle adaptations of The Benny Goodman Sextet, with thoughtful forays into the small combos Duke Ellington, Count Basie, and Artie Shaw. The many famous sidemen and alumni of those various bands are given plenty of love as well. With Laura Windley featured on vocals, the band also explores the wonderful songbook left behind by Billie Holiday during her years with Brunswick, where she and Teddy Wilson pulled together some of the hardest swinging players to bring to life some of the greatest pop tunes ever written.

The Octet performs arrangements that were popularized not by the large orchestras or small combos, but the many medium-sized outfits that worked during the time such as those led by Fletcher Henderson, the Coleman Hawkins All Stars, various Duke Ellington and Lionel Hampton side groups, the Dickie Wells and Willie Bryant orchestras, and more. They dig up material that will be instantly familiar to vintage music aficionados and swing dancers even if it never made it to the Greatest Hits compilations of the day.

Bandleader Michael Gamble’s 15+ years in the international swing scene inform every aspect of the band’s repertoire and taste.

Michael Gamble & The Rhythm Serenaders        

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Hank Jones - Trio 1979

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 57:29
Size: 131.6 MB
Styles: Piano jazz
Year: 2010
Art: Front

[7:07] 1. Blue Lou
[5:14] 2. Cotton Tail
[6:51] 3. The Man I Love
[6:29] 4. Crazy Rhythm
[6:53] 5. I Only Have Eyes For You
[4:23] 6. Basically The Blues
[4:19] 7. Polka Dots And Moonbeams
[5:07] 8. Yardbird Suite
[6:38] 9. On Green Dolphin Street
[4:25] 10. Oh, What A Beautiful Morning (Bonus Track)

Hank Jones (piano); George Duvivier (bass); Shelly Manne (drums). Recorded live in concert on May 2, 1979 at Ishi-Kaikan Hall, Kagoshima, Japan.

The late Hank Jones visited and performed many times in Japan, a country that truly loved and respected him as a master jazz pianist. This very special reissue SHM-CD contains live performances of his special trio with bassist George Duvivier and drummer Shelly Manne, recorded in Japan in 1979.

Originally released as Hank Jones Trio Live In Japan on vinyl LP in 1979, this edition was remastered in 24 bit from the original analog master tapes and pressed on SHM-CD which uses a special polycarbonate material for superior sound and is compatible with all CD players. A bonus track ("Oh, What A Beautiful Morning" which did not appear on the original LP is also included.

The sound quality of this CD is spectacular, capturing the natural and dynamic sound of the trio and the excitement of the packed audience. Tunes selected by Jones are mostly familiar, swing-oriented numbers, and the veteran trio -- Jones was 61 years old, Duvivier and Manne 59 at the time -- swing them with great skills and inspiration. This is a must-own CD for fans of Hank Jones and the jazz piano in general! Very strongly recommended!

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Della Reese - Some Of My Best Friends Are The Blues

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 46:51
Size: 107.3 MB
Styles: Blues/Jazz vocals
Year: 1995
Art: Front

[5:32] 1. Some Of My Best Friends Are The Blues
[3:50] 2. Still Called The Blues
[9:13] 3. Good Mornin' Blues
[5:39] 4. I Got It Bad, And That Ain't Good
[3:48] 5. T'ain't Nobody's Biz-Ness, If I Do
[3:48] 6. You Got The Right Key, But The Wrong Keyhole
[3:24] 7. Meet Me With Your Black Drawers On
[4:10] 8. Lay Baby Lay
[4:44] 9. Too Much Man
[2:39] 10. Gotta' Travel On

This CD is recording of her blues revue, which she undertook back in 1994-1995. Della is one of the last true female blues singers around. She is of the great tradition of Ma Rainey and Bessie Smith, and this recording is a testament to that statement. Ever since she first set out on her own back in the early '50s, she always performed her songs with immense intensity, but she always had a swell time singing. Opposite to many blues singers who sing with a lowdown and broken spirit, Della always sings with optimism, even when she's pouring her heart out in songs like "I Got It Bad" and "Too Much Man". Della was 63 at the time of the recording, but she shows no sign of that. Her voice is of course a little deeper, but she's lost none of her vocal power, and her diction is still impeccable. There is a little for everyone here. From some funky cuts "Still Called the Blues" to some right down dirty (but funny) blues "You Got Right Key, but the Wrong Keyhole" and "Meet Me with Your Black Drawers On". This live album is truly a joy to listen to, and my hope for the future is that she decides to a little break from the Gospel music, and record an album of blues/ jazz standards. It has been far too long. ~Stellar Della

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Barry Miles - Zoot Suit Stomp

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 38:06
Size: 87.2 MB
Styles: Fusion jazz
Year: 1986
Art: Front

[4:24] 1. Zoot Suit Stomp
[5:24] 2. Turnaround
[4:10] 3. Song Of The Plains
[5:13] 4. Love Garden
[3:58] 5. Chain Of Events
[4:01] 6. Little Flower
[4:59] 7. The Ladys In Love-Mambo Elaine
[5:52] 8. The Adventure

Barry Miles / vocals, keyboards, mini-Moog synthesizer, vibraphone, drums; Terry Silverlight / synthesizer, drums, percussion, programming, background vocals.

Barry Miles was considered a child prodigy: he began playing drums when he was three and piano at five, and joined the Musicians Union when he was nine. Miles played drums professionally from the age of ten, including sitting in with the Woody Herman Orchestra. At age 12, he recorded his first album as a leader on drums, leading a sextet that included pianist Duke Jordan. As a teenager, he studied classical piano and soon switched instruments. Originally a bop-oriented player, Miles leaned toward fusion by the late '60s, often playing electric piano and synthesizer. He led Barry Miles & Silverlight for several years (his sidemen at various times included Woody Shaw, John Abercrombie, and Al di Meola), worked as Roberta Flack's musical director from the early '80s to the mid-'90s, and became a studio musician in New York. Miles has led albums for labels including Charlie Parker (1959-1961), Venture (1966), Poppy (1970), Mainstream (1971-1972), London (1974-1975), Gryphon (1977), and others. ~bio by Scott Yanow

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The Tymes - So Much In Love

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 42:18
Size: 96.8 MB
Styles: R&B
Year: 1963/2012
Art: Front

[2:34] 1. Alone
[2:42] 2. My Summer Love
[3:01] 3. Wonderful! Wonderful!
[2:38] 4. That Old Black Magic
[2:15] 5. Let's Make Love Tonight
[2:05] 6. Goodnight My Love
[2:19] 7. So Much In Love
[2:22] 8. You Asked Me To Be Yours
[2:30] 9. The Twelfth Of Never
[2:26] 10. Way Beyond Today
[2:40] 11. Summer Day
[2:18] 12. Autumn Leaves
[2:10] 13. So Much In Love (Single Version)
[2:37] 14. Roscoe James Mcclain
[2:51] 15. Wonderful! Wonderful! (Single Version)
[2:25] 16. Come With Me To The Sea
[2:15] 17. Surf City

The Tymes were one of the top R&B vocal groups on the starstudded Cameo Parkway roster, and the success of this album, which went to #15 on the charts on the strength of the #1 smash title track and the #7 hit Wonderful! Wonderful!, bears eloquent testimony to that fact. But what makes this album really special is that, unlike many LPs of the era, it really is an album, not just a collection of hits and covers thrown together to capitalize on a charting single. In fact, you could argue that So Much in Love is the first concept album in the R&B genre, as spoken word interludes chart the course of a love affair from beginning to end. This classic piece of early Philly soul comes with the original front cover and track listing intact, garnished with four single sides (including the single version of So Much in Love) and a track (Surf City) which previously appeared only on the rare 1963 various-artists compilation Everybody s Goin Surfin.

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Dick Weller - New West

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 53:39
Size: 122.8 MB
Styles: Jazz vocals
Year: 2003
Art: Front

[4:45] 1. Second Chance
[7:47] 2. New West
[3:07] 3. Overcome
[4:45] 4. Don't Fall
[4:41] 5. Movin' On
[6:19] 6. Same Difference
[4:20] 7. Seasons
[5:09] 8. Blown
[3:26] 9. Believin'
[4:41] 10. After All
[4:34] 11. Could Be Should Be

Beachfront Property - Vocals (Background); Jeff Beal - Flugelhorn, Trumpet; Dave Carpenter - Bass (Electric); Rich Eames - Piano, Producer, Synthesizer; Robert Hurst - Bass (Acoustic); Jennifer Schneider - Vocals; Bob Sheppard - Flute, Guest Artist, Sax (Soprano), Sax (Tenor); Tierney Sutton - Guest Artist, Vocals; Steve Tavaglione - Flute, Guest Artist, Sax (Soprano), Sax (Tenor); Dick Weller - Drums.

Dick Weller is a busy performer in the LA area. He moved to LA from New York City in 1992. He was working in New York clubs with folks like Mike Stern, Mike Manieri, Chuck Loeb, Andy Laverne, Jeff Andrews, Leni Stern, along with many others. In Los Angeles, he has been busy with the Bob Florence big band, as well as being an in demand performer playing in the local clubs, recording as a sideman and doing some touring.

New West is his first effort as a leader, using the talents of Tierney Sutton, the vocal group Beachfront Property, Bob Sheppard, Steve Tavaglione, Jeff Beal, Mike Miller, Rich Eames, Dave Carpenter and Bob Hurst. Very nice listening!

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Mose Allison - I Love The Life I Live

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 44:35
Size: 102.1 MB
Styles: Bop, Jazz-blues
Year: 1960/2013
Art: Front

[2:21] 1. I Love The Life I Live
[3:11] 2. News
[3:30] 3. Fool's Paradise
[3:53] 4. You Turned The Tables On Me
[3:57] 5. Isobel
[2:12] 6. You're A Sweatheart
[3:12] 7. Night Ride
[3:33] 8. Path
[2:10] 9. Mad With You
[3:31] 10. Hittin' On One
[1:52] 11. I Ain't Got Nobody
[4:24] 12. Can't We Be Friends
[3:19] 13. The Pretty Girl Is Like A Melody
[3:24] 14. Am I Blue

When this album was recorded in 1960, this laconic Mississippian wasn't the brilliant lyricist he would later become. But he had great taste. The title track, written by Willie Dixon, sure sounds like a Mose song; "Fool's Paradise" is another gem. Mose's four tunes are instrumentals. The production by Teo Macero makes it feel like you're perched on one end of the piano bench. This album was released with two others in a delightful 1994 collection called High Jinks. ~Mark Allan

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Booker Little 4 - Milestones

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 50:48
Size: 116.3 MB
Styles: Bop, Trumpet jazz
Year: 1961/2011
Art: Front

[ 5:36] 1. Milestones
[ 5:19] 2. Rounder's Mood
[ 8:09] 3. Blue 'n Boogie
[ 4:27] 4. Dungeon Waltz
[ 6:34] 5. Jewel's Tempo
[ 5:40] 6. Moonlight Becomes You
[10:45] 7. Things Ain't What They Used To Be
[ 4:14] 8. Sweet And Lovely

Bass – Art Davis; Drums – Max Roach; Piano – Tommy Flanagan; Tenor Saxophone – George Coleman; Trumpet – Booker Little. Recorded in New York, October 1958.

This CD reissue features trumpeter Booker Little at the beginning of his tragically brief career. The first six selections find the distinctive soloist playing with a quintet also including the young tenor George Coleman, pianist Tommy Flanagan, bassist Art Davis, and drummer Max Roach (who was his regular employer at the time). Little contributed three now-obscure originals and also plays two standards and an early version of Miles Davis' "Milestones." The remainder of the CD has lengthy versions of "Things Ain't What They Used to Be" and "Blue 'n Boogie" from a jam session that matched Little with fellow Memphis-based players including Coleman, altoist Frank Strozier, and the masterful pianist Phineas Newborn. Overall, this forward-looking hard bop set is easily recommended. ~Scott Yanow

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Betty Bryant - Mostly Me

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 58:45
Size: 134.5 MB
Styles: Jazz vocals
Year: 2014
Art: Front

[4:48] 1. Easy Living
[3:33] 2. Beautiful Friendship
[4:13] 3. He May Be Your Man
[3:20] 4. Improvisation #2
[3:58] 5. 's Wonderful (Feat. Tony Guerrero)
[4:32] 6. Fine And Mellow
[1:46] 7. I Loved Him
[4:06] 8. I Love Being Here With You
[5:06] 9. Everything Happens To Me
[2:32] 10. St. James Infirmary
[3:45] 11. Don't Fall In Love With Me
[4:13] 12. Travelin' Light (Feat. Robert Kyle)
[1:30] 13. Mouvements Perpetuels (First Movement)
[3:02] 14. Scarlet Ribbons
[3:22] 15. Improvisation #1
[4:52] 16. Something Cool

Usually quiet and laid back, I can be forceful when need be. This CD was suggested and produced by Robert Kyle because he thought I should document something solo since that's how I started. The result is this eclectic mostly one-take album with some improvisational piano thrown in for good measure.

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Dorado Schmidtt - Parisienne

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 50:07
Size: 114.8 MB
Styles: Guitar jazz
Year: 1995
Art: Front

[4:41] 1. Phil
[3:10] 2. Tout Seul
[4:41] 3. Parisienne
[3:57] 4. Bossa Dorado
[3:55] 5. Doradology
[6:04] 6. Choucka Dives
[2:52] 7. Mistral
[1:56] 8. Valse Chromatique
[3:24] 9. For Stan
[4:55] 10. Pour Elle
[3:56] 11. Everybody Sings
[4:03] 12. Dorado Swing
[2:28] 13. La Source De La Vie

Dorado Schmitt loves bop ... It is obviously listening to Parisienne, album recorded in 1994 at Djazz Record. Is it also necessary to recall that the Forbach guitarist who performs regularly in the Americas (the adoption procedure would be in progress ...) loudly proclaims his admiration for a certain Wes (Montgomery) and Georges (Benson), the latter having also not been asked to bang the beef with our national Dorado!

Almost no gypsy guitar on this record, so no pump either, but a snare drum and a piano held (both!) By the eclectic Stan Laferrière. A rhythmic evoking more an american way of jazz than a French hot touch Paris. And although ... The Parisienne of this pretty record is perhaps there to remind us precisely that if the heart is in the west, the fingers remain well from us, and that finally, Django is never very far. .. That's what's nice about this album: the meeting of two jazz schools. And in this register, Dorado demonstrates both the pick and the bow that the Atlantic can be crossed in the blink of an eye ... as long as we are of the heart and inspiration, which he does not not miss!

Dorado Schmitt loves the bop, we said ... listening to the album, recognize that the bop makes him good! (Translated from French.)

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Perry Como - All Time Greatest Hits

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 42:33
Size: 97.4 MB
Styles: Vocal
Year: 1988/2001
Art: Front

[2:32] 1. Round And Round
[2:21] 2. Hot Diggity (Dog Ziggity Boom)
[2:29] 3. Catch A Falling Star
[2:41] 4. Papa Loves Mambo
[3:12] 5. No Other Love
[2:38] 6. Magic Moments
[3:07] 7. Til The End Of Time
[2:39] 8. Don't Let The Stars Get In Your Eyes
[3:04] 9. Wanted
[3:13] 10. It's Impossible
[2:53] 11. Hoop-Dee-Doo
[3:27] 12. Some Enchanted Evening
[3:06] 13. If
[2:44] 14. Temptation
[2:21] 15. Dream On, Little Dreamer

Most of Perry Como's greatest hits and most popular tunes are collected on All-Time Greatest Hits, which is designed to appeal to his casual fans. It's not a definitive retrospective, but it has most of the hits that fans would need. ~David Jehnzen

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Three's Company - We'll Be Together Again

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 56:31
Size: 129.4 MB
Styles: Bop
Year: 2016
Art: Front

[5:28] 1. For Toddlers Only
[5:25] 2. Dark Eyes
[4:59] 3. We'll Be Together Again
[5:56] 4. TJ
[7:25] 5. Candlelight
[4:48] 6. My Man Hubbard
[6:09] 7. Eddie's Theme
[4:09] 8. Danny Boy
[5:18] 9. Epistrophy
[6:53] 10. But Beautiful

Bass – Ron Carter; Drums – Billy Drummond; Tenor Saxophone – Javon Jackson. Recorded November 30, 2014.

The shadows of the Sonny Rollins trio and Joe Henderson trio (both having recorded classic albums at the Village Vanguard) hover over this sparse, revealing trio outing with Jackson, Carter and Drummond. And like his sax playing elders, Jackson put his own stamp on a set of well chosen jazz standards while also showcasing a few originals. “Sonny being a big influence on me, obviously there would be some things in there that would be reminiscent, or have that spirit anyway,” says Jackson, who just hit the half century mark this June.

And while playing without a chordal instrument was a challenge in some respects for the saxophonist, he explains that Carter’s presence more than made up for the absence of piano on this Chesky release. “Ron is kind of like a symphony behind you. He’s the bass player, but he’s the piano at times, he’s the drums and he’s out front with the melody. So he can be several things at once. With him there, there are so many colors that are available to me. So it’s not out of disrespect to the piano, it’s just that with Ron, we have a lot of opportunities. This trio setting just allows him to kind of roam a little bit and be more of a free safety, to use a football analogy.”

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Roni Ben-Hur With The Barry Harris Trio - Backyard

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 50:40
Size: 116.0 MB
Styles: Bop, Guitar jazz
Year: 1995
Art: Front

[8:10] 1. The Thrill Is Gone
[5:40] 2. Dance Of The Infidels
[3:54] 3. Ask Me Now
[5:08] 4. Backyard
[3:56] 5. Canal Street
[5:03] 6. Never Let Me Go
[4:51] 7. Audubon
[6:18] 8. Something To Live For
[7:37] 9. Burgundy

Often one can judge the merits of a lesser-known player by the musicians he or she uses on their recordings. For this fine release from the Swiss TCB label, guitarist Roni Ben-Hur is joined by the immortal bop pianist Barry Harris, bassist Lisle Atkinson and drummer Leroy Williams for a set of delightful bop. Ben-Hur, who came to New York in the mid-1980's so as to study with Harris, has a cool sound (a little reminiscent of Jimmy Raney) and is a relaxed and inventive improviser. The repertoire features attractive chord changes and underplayed standards including "The Thrill Is Gone," Bud Powell's "Dance Of The Infidels" and Sonny Rollins' "Audubon." There are also two originals by Harris (the title cut is based on "Embraceable You"), one from the guitarist and an effective vocal by Ben-Hur's wife Amy London on "Something To Live For." This set is easily recommended to fans of bop. ~Scott Yanow

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Tito Rodriguez - Latin Jewels

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 35:32
Size: 81.4 MB
Styles: Latin
Year: 1959/2017
Art: Front

[2:11] 1. Granada
[3:24] 2. Ojos Verdes (Green Eyes)
[3:05] 3. Quiereme Mucho (Yours)
[2:48] 4. Frenesi
[2:44] 5. Duerme (Time Was)
[2:36] 6. Noche De Ronda
[2:43] 7. Quizas Quizas Quizas
[3:28] 8. Amapola
[3:16] 9. Piruli
[3:46] 10. Martha
[3:03] 11. Cuando Vuelva A Tu Lado (What A Difference A Day Made)
[2:22] 12. El Manisero

Multi-instrumentalist Tito Rodriguez played an important role in New York's thriving Latin dance scene of the 1950s and '60s. His expressive playing was an important factor in the success of his brother Johnny Rodriguez's band. A native of San Juan, Puerto Rico, Rodriguez displayed his talents at a very young age. Accomplished on a variety of instruments, he could interpret popular tunes while still in his childhood. He secured his first contract as a musician at the age of 13. Although he made his first trip to the United States as a member of Cuarteto Caney, his tenure with the band was short-lived. After coming late to an important gig, he was fired by bandleader Noro Morales. He quickly found employment with the band led by Enrique Madriguera. Following his brother to New York in 1939, Rodriguez accepted a position with the Johnny Rodriguez Orchestra. Although he was tempted by offers to join Xavier Cugart's group, he remained faithful to his brother's group. While in New York, he sharpened his skills as a student of Professor Moe Goldenberg. In 1952, he received a mention of honor award from the Century Conservatory of Music of New York. During the early rock era, Rodriguez played for a while with Leroy Holmes' orchestra and produced albums by El Cuarteto Los Hispanos, Los Montemar, and Teddy Trinidad. In the mid-'60s, Rodriguez returned to Puerto Rico. In addition to performing frequently in San Juan hotels, he hosted popular television show El Show de Tito Rodriguez. Rodriguez died from leukemia on February 28, 1972. ~ Craig Harris

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Michael Blanco - No Time Like The Present

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 49:39
Size: 113.7 MB
Styles: Contemporary jazz
Year: 2013
Art: Front

[5:21] 1. Dutch Kills
[5:31] 2. No Time Like The Present
[4:06] 3. You Really Shouldn't
[6:22] 4. Midnight
[4:51] 5. RSVP
[8:24] 6. Smithlike
[5:32] 7. Emily's Wedding
[2:38] 8. Postcard (For Solo Bass)
[6:50] 9. Ellis Island

Michael Blanco: bass; John Ellis: tenor saxophone, soprano saxophone; Jonathan Kreisberg: guitar; David Cook: piano; Mark Ferber: drums.

A talented in-demand Broadway/jazz bassist, Michael Blanco's No Time Like The Present announces his second album as leader presenting a collection of refreshing new jazz originals offered by a dynamic quintet that features veteran saxophonist John Ellis and New York guitarist Jonathan Kreisberg among the cast. The two-time recipient of the ASCAP Foundation Young Jazz Composer Award, designs a sparkling session of riveting modern-style jazz not to be missed. Though it's Blanco's compositional skills that carry the date on this outing, the bassist's strong performance throughout is not to be dismissed as his solo performance on "Postcard (for solo bass)" so aptly demonstrates.

Overlooking the intimidating title ("Dutch Kills") of the opening track, the music reveals an elegant light texture marked by glowing solo statements from members of the band. The title piece is fast-paced and up-tempo featuring Ellis and Kreisberg trading salvos in the first burner of the disc. "You Really Shouldn't" follows in much the same vein this time featuring pianist David Cook and drummer Mark Ferber providing the energy. Propelled by torrid tenor solos and strong guitar riffs, the fire seems to burn brightest on the hard-driving "RSVP," one of the bassist's finest compositions. Another outstanding score is the spacious "Smithlike" featuring a superb bass solo from the leader and highlighting the saxophonist on the soprano.

All is not hot and steamy however, as warm-toned solos from both guitarist and bassist bolster the light and beautiful "Midnight," one of several mid-tempo, even mellow mood pieces on the album. The enchanting "Emily's Wedding" is a perfect example of some more tasteful light jazz perfect for a relaxing setting. Perhaps as a tip of the hat to saxophonist Ellis, the closing number, appropriately titled "Ellis Island" serves as the swan song for the reed man but also includes dynamic solos from the guitarist as well as the leader.

Michael Blanco is certainly one of the young guns in the jazz scene today and with No Time Like the Present brings the background bass to the front line of jazz. Comparisons to some of the finest jazz bassist in modern jazz such as Christian McBride, John Patitucci, Gary Peacock and Charlie Haden to name a few, are inevitable. His approach and clever charts can only serve to elevate his music and cement his reputation as an excellent composer and a bassist of note. ~Edward Blanco

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Maxine Linehan - Beautiful Songs

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 49:05
Size: 112.4 MB
Styles: Vocal
Year: 2015
Art: Front

[3:07] 1. Walk Through The World
[3:30] 2. Love Can't Happen
[2:21] 3. Smoke Gets In Your Eyes
[5:30] 4. There Won't Be Trumpets/It's A Quiet Thing
[3:36] 5. I Love Paris
[4:23] 6. Hyme Á L'amour
[3:47] 7. I Think Of You
[3:39] 8. Sway
[5:20] 9. God Only Knows/What'll I Do
[4:00] 10. One
[3:52] 11. Danny Boy
[3:10] 12. End Of The World
[2:44] 13. Never Never Land

Here is an excellent album of popular songs by a strong and talented singer. Maxine Linehan is an Irish native who has adopted New York. This actress, singer, and recording artist has performed many theatrical roles including Charlotte in the solo play Brontë; A portrait of Charlotte, and the Lead Nurse in Lincoln Centre’s TONY award winning South Pacific. Her recent album "Beautiful Songs" features Maxine's wonderful and engaging interpretation of popular songs from a wide variety of genres.

One of my favorite tracks on this album is "One" which Maxine nails with her assertive style and confident vocals. I actually prefer Maxine's stylish version over the original Bono rendition. In this song she showcases her dynamic voice that is appealing and engaging. This song is very well-done with instrumentation that is balanced and interesting, and that fits Maxine's astounding performance perfectly. I highly recommend this album to anyone who loves popular music that is masterfully interpreted with skill and style. ~Russell Suereth Jr

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Charlie Persip & The Jazz Statesmen - S/T

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 36:04
Size: 82.6 MB
Styles: Bop
Year: 1960/2015
Art: Front

[6:38] 1. Sevens
[6:41] 2. The Song Is You
[5:20] 3. Right Down Front
[7:48] 4. Soul March
[9:35] 5. The Champ (A Suite In Six Movements)

Drummer Charlie Persip has not had that many opportunities to lead sessions through the years; in fact, this album was his only one until 1980. His quintet includes up-and-coming players (trumpeter Freddie Hubbard, tenor saxophonist Roland Alexander, pianist Ronnie Matthews, and bassist Ron Carter) whom one assumes he could not hold onto for long. The music (even the original) is essentially mainstream bop with some strong solos from the horns and several spots (most notably on "The Champ") for the leader. Trumpeter Marcus Belgrave subs for Hubbard on one of the five cuts. ~Scott Yanow

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